Musa

Musa is the genus that contains the banana plants, a group of fast-growing tropical perennials from Asia and the Pacific. In cultivation they are grown mainly for their dramatic, paddle-shaped leaves, which can reach well over a metre in a single season. Most ornamental banana plants, such as the pink-variegated Musa NoNo, rarely fruit in the UK climate, so they are enjoyed as foliage plants.

The genus ranges from tender indoor varieties to genuinely hardy species. Musa basjoo, the Japanese banana, is the most cold-tolerant and can be grown outdoors across much of the UK. You can see the whole range in our banana plant collection.

Some are. Musa basjoo is the hardiest commonly grown banana and can survive UK winters outdoors when the trunk is wrapped and the roots are well mulched. It may be cut back by frost, but it usually reshoots from the base in spring and grows away quickly once the weather warms.

Most other Musa, including the red-leaved Ever Red and variegated forms, are tender and are best treated as patio plants that move indoors before the first frost. A frost-free conservatory, porch or heated greenhouse is ideal for overwintering. For more cold-tolerant choices, see our outdoor plants.

Give a Musa as much light as possible, plenty of water in spring and summer, and regular feeding through the growing season. These are vigorous, hungry plants, and they grow noticeably faster when they are not left short of food or water. Reduce watering in winter while growth slows.

Use a rich but free-draining compost so the roots stay moist without sitting wet. Our houseplant substrates include suitable mixes. Remove tatty or frost-damaged leaves as they appear, and repot in spring once the plant fills its container.

Yes. Musa are full-sun plants in the wild, and they perform best in the brightest position you can offer, including several hours of direct sunlight a day. Outdoors, a sheltered, sunny spot produces the largest leaves and the sturdiest growth.

Indoors, place a banana plant directly in front of your brightest window. In low light it will still grow, but the leaves will be smaller and more widely spaced, and the plant will lean towards the light. Varieties such as Musa acuminata 'Zebrina' keep their markings best in strong light.

Rarely, and not usefully. Musa basjoo is grown as a hardy ornamental rather than a fruiting crop. In a hot summer a well-established plant may flower and set small fruit, but these are seedy and not worth eating.

Its value is in the foliage and the tropical effect it brings to a UK garden. If you want a banana for its leaves and its hardiness rather than its fruit, basjoo is the classic choice. Browse the full banana plant range to compare varieties.

Very fast in warm, bright conditions. Given enough light, food and water, a Musa can add a metre or more of growth and several large leaves in a single summer, which is part of their appeal as an instant tropical feature.

Growth slows or stops over winter, especially for plants kept cool. Hardy types such as Musa basjoo that are cut back by frost will reshoot from the base in spring and quickly regain their size. Feeding generously through the growing season keeps that fast growth going.